NYC braces for multiple daily protests as world leaders arrive for UN General Assembly

Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News

Thu, September 17, 2026 at 6:50 PM EDT

NYC braces for multiple daily protests as world leaders arrive for UN General Assembly


NEW YORK — As New York braces for multiple daily protests around this year's United Nations General Assembly, NYPD officers will flood midtown Manhattan to protect the public and controversial world leaders scheduled to attend, including President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Thursday.

"Every year, we see an uptick in demonstrations and protests coinciding with the U.N. General Assembly, and as always, the NYPD will facilitate First Amendment activity," Tisch said at a briefing at NYPD headquarters Thursday. "At the same time, there will be intolerance for violence or destruction of property."

Beginning Friday, the NYPD will be monitoring 55 permitted UNGA-related events, NYPD officials said.

"We're expecting multiple protests every day," Tisch added.

There are currently no credible threats against the event, said Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who also attended Thursday's briefing.

Mamdani did not speak about Netanyahu's attendance at the U.N. General Assembly, even though he has repeatedly called the Israeli leader a "war criminal" and had demanded his arrest over the war in Gaza just two months earlier.

"He is the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people," he said in a video posted online on July 21. "There is a reason the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest."

Although he vowed to arrest Netanyahu on the warrant during his campaign, he acknowledged in the same July video that New York City "does not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant" and encouraged the federal government to arrest him.

Gallagher meets with Putin's advisor and strengthens his contacts with the Moscow Patriarchate

by INFOVATICANA | August 27, 2026


The representative of the Holy See discussed with Yuri Ushakov “current issues on the international agenda” and visited the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where he prayed before the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. This Thursday, the visit focuses on the Catholic community in Russia.

The visit of Mons. Paul Richard Gallagher to Russia has included in recent hours a meeting with Yuri Ushakov, advisor to Vladimir Putin on foreign policy, and a visit to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, the main church of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Secretariat of State confirmed this Thursday Gallagher’s meeting with Ushakov, scheduled for Wednesday the 26th, and reported that both addressed “current issues on the international agenda”. No further details on the content of the conversation have been provided so far.

The meeting with one of Putin’s top advisors represents the closest contact to the Kremlin within Gallagher’s agenda during his stay in the Russian capital.

It took place after the meeting that the head of Vatican diplomacy held on Tuesday with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov.

Read also: Gallagher to Lavrov in Moscow: “This war must end”

Gallagher visits the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

The agenda also included a new approach to the Patriarchate of Moscow, following the meeting Gallagher previously held with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of external relations for the Russian Orthodox Church.

Gallagher visited the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, seat of Patriarch Kirill, accompanied by the Apostolic Nuncio to Russia, Mons. Giovanni d’Aniello.



The representative of the Holy See was received by Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Vice-Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow.

During a visit lasting more than an hour, Gallagher toured the church and stopped to pray before the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, one of the Marian images most venerated by Russian Orthodox faithful.

The visit to the cathedral continued the contacts maintained in recent days between the Vatican delegation and the Patriarchate of Moscow.

This Thursday, the agenda focuses on the Catholic community

After the meetings with Russian authorities and contacts with the Patriarchate, Gallagher is dedicating this Thursday, August 27, the final part of his agenda in Moscow to the Catholic community.

The program includes a meeting with priests, religious brothers and sisters, and the celebration of Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow.

Afterwards, the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations is scheduled to meet with the Catholic bishops of Russia.

Gallagher’s visit, the first he has made to Russia since 2021, will conclude this Friday, August 28 with his return to Rome.

Source

Trump adds to Moscow mystery, says CIA chief's visit was 'semi-routine'

 

Pope Leo appoints Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly to Vatican dicastery

written by Courtney Mares 3:05 PM August 25, 2026

Pope Leo XIV meets with Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly of the Knights of Columbus Oct. 6, 2025, during an audience with a Knights delegation at the Vatican. On Aug. 25, 2026, Pope Leo appointed Kelly as a member of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)


(OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV on Aug. 25 appointed the Knights of Columbus’ Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly as a member of the Vatican Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.

Kelly has served as the supreme Knight and CEO of the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organization since 2021. The Knights of Columbus have 2.1 million members throughout the world.

“I am deeply grateful to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV for appointing me as a member of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life,” Kelly said following the Vatican’s announcement.

“Since our founding by Blessed Michael McGivney in 1882, the Knights of Columbus has been dedicated to strengthening Catholic laymen in the faith, to supporting Catholic family life and to building up a culture of life,” he added. “I look forward to supporting this vital work of the Catholic Church.”

As a member of the Vatican dicastery, Kelly will contribute to the dicastery’s mission of enhancing the apostolate of the lay faithful, the pastoral care of young people and the mission of the family according to God’s plan. The dicastery is also dedicated to the promotion and protection of life and the dignity of the elderly.

 
About 2 dozen serve as members of dicastery

About two dozen people, including cardinals, married lay couples and scholars from around the world, currently serve as members of the laity dicastery. Kelly will join fellow American members Helen Alvaré, lecturer at the George Mason University School of Law, and Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington. The role does not require members to move to Rome.

Pope Francis established the dicastery in 2016, combining the responsibilities of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the Pontifical Council for the Family. Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, the former bishop of Dallas, has served as the prefect of the dicastery since its founding.

The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life plays a key role in organizing World Youth Day, the next which is scheduled to take place in Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 3-8, 2027. The dicastery also organizes the World Meeting of Families and the annual World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

CIA director makes an unannounced trip to Moscow for talks, source says

 

NBC News

  

Aug 25, 2026

The CIA director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced flight to Moscow for talks, according to a source. This is Ratcliffe's first trip to Moscow since he began his tenure as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency. 

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CIA Director Suddenly In Moscow As NATO Prepares For Russian Attack

Rebel HQ

 

Aug 25, 2026  

Watch: Ukraine Pounds Russia, Prompting Angry Putin To Threaten U.K.

   • Ukraine Pounds Russia, Prompting Angry Put...  

CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a rare, unannounced trip to Moscow for meetings with Russian officials, raising questions about what the Trump administration is discussing behind closed doors. The mysterious visit comes as U.S.-brokered efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine remain stalled and tensions between Washington and Moscow continue to run high. David Shuster breaks it down on Rebel HQ.

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Why the CIA chief might have made a secret Moscow visit | DW News

DW News

  

Aug 25, 2026 

Reports in US media suggest that America's top spy, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, made a rare, unannounced trip to Moscow on Tuesday. Neither the CIA nor the Kremlin has commented on the reports. If confirmed, it would be Ratcliffe's first known visit to Russia since becoming CIA Director, and the highest-level intelligence trip between the two countries since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. So what could be behind this mysterious mission? DW speaks to Russia analyst Angela Stent to explore the possible reasons for the trip.

The Vatican Foreign Minister in Russia: "This War Must End"

 

CIA Director John Ratcliffe on secret trip in Russia

By Jennifer Jacobs, Olivia Gazis, James LaPorta

Updated on: August 25, 2026 / 11:08 AM EDT / CBS News


CIA Director John Ratcliffe is in Moscow, Russia, for meetings, sources familiar with the situation told CBS News on Tuesday.

News of his trip comes after a U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport plane was spotted at a Moscow airport, along with a U.S. diplomatic motorcade. Neither the U.S. nor Russian governments has commented on the identity of the U.S. official in Russia or the purpose of the visit.

The CIA did not immediately comment.

It appears to be Ratcliffe's first known trip to Russia as CIA director, though he has maintained contact with Russian intelligence counterparts.

The CIA has also played a role in recent U.S.-Russia detainee exchanges, including the April 2025 release of a U.S.-Russian dual national Ksenia Karelina, whose case Ratcliffe personally negotiated. The agency was also involved in the 2024 prisoner exchange that secured the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Marine veteran Paul Whelan.

Former CIA Director William Burns traveled to Moscow in November 2021, when he met with senior Russian officials and spoke directly with President Vladimir Putin to warn him against invading Ukraine.

Ratcliffe's visit comes as U.S.-mediated peace talks with Ukraine remain mostly stalled, with the sides still far apart on core issues.

Source

Pastoral Visit to Republic of San Marino: Arrival of Pope Leo XIV and Welcome Ceremony

The Vatican isn’t a campaign stop and Rep. Salazar shouldn’t have treated it as one | Opinion

Mary Anna Mancuso

Wed, August 19, 2026 at 3:08 PM EDT

As a Catholic, I'm offended. As a Floridian, I'm exhausted. It seems there are no lengths to which U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Miami Republican, won't go to promote her immigration bill.

Even the pope isn't off limits. Last week, after meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, she quickly took to social media to say she was grateful to "place the DIGNITY Act in the Holy Father's hands." The video posted to her social media channels, shot in front of the Vatican, was in poor taste. What I saw was a South Florida congresswoman using the Vatican as a backdrop to push her legislation.

You don't have to be Catholic to understand why it's offensive. It looks like Salazar used her meeting with the pope to create the impression of support for her legislation. That should bother anyone, religious or not.

The meeting itself wasn't a problem. There's nothing wrong with an elected official discussing immigration with the pope. Immigration is both a moral and political issue that affects millions, and people of faith often bring their convictions into public life.

Leo has spoken directly on immigration. On June 25, 2026, the pope wrote a letter to America marking the 250th anniversary of the United States: "To receive [immigrants] with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity, but also a recognition of the dignity that belongs to every human person," he wrote.

Many politicians have visited the Vatican and afterward have posted photos of their time with the pope. I don't think that's wrong. The difference is that Salazar used the opportunity to spotlight her legislation. The pope hasn't endorsed her bill; she shouldn't be trying to make it look that way.

But in politics, optics matter. And that was the point. Salazar, in what appeared to be a staged moment, created an impression the facts don't support.

Salazar's office told me it was "entirely appropriate to discuss immigration and the bipartisan work she is leading" during the visit. The statement from her office said Salazar spoke with the pope "about immigration and the dignity of migrants, issues that are central to the Catholic Church and that Pope Leo himself has made a priority, and shared with him the bipartisan solution she has been working on for years."

Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) spoke with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Aug. 13, 2026

Matthew McConaughey Meets Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

Matthew McConaughey Meets Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

TODAY

Aug 6, 2026

Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey and his wife, Camila Alves, were greeted by Pope Leo XIV during his weekly general audience at St. Peter’s Basilica. Cameras captured the trio briefly chatting during their time together. 

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Matthew McConaughey Compares Meeting Pope Leo XIV to Writing an Oscars Speech | The Tonight Show

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Aug 13, 2026
Matthew McConaughey talks about meeting Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, getting a movie theater named after him and filming his new movie The Rivals of Amziah King.

Congress members visit Whipple Federal Building: "I was shocked to see that everyone in here has leg restraints"

Reps. Omar, Jayapal seek answers on ICE activity at Whipple Federal Building

 

Congress members visit Whipple Federal Building: "I was shocked to see that everyone in here has leg restraints"

By Jennifer Mayerle

July 24, 2026 / 7:06 PM CDT / CBS Minnesota

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been taking people they detain in Minnesota to the Whipple Federal Building for processing. On Friday, members of Congress were there for an oversight visit.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Pramila Jayapal of Washington state made their way into the building midday, calling congressional oversight their duty.

"I was shocked to see that everyone in here has leg restraints. That is not common practice in holding facilities and detention centers. And apparently, that is the practice when you are picked up to when you are released," Jayapal said.

They did learn some information about detainees despite saying they had to sign paperwork, agreeing they wouldn't interact with them.

Why Did Ro Khanna Lie About a "Violent" Detainment in Israel?

 

Fit for a pontiff: How the US Embassy to the Holy See prepared to host Pope Leo for a special July 4 celebration

The evening marked a historic visit to the U.S. ambassador’s residence as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary.

McKenna Snow

July 7, 2026

When Pope Leo XIV accepted an invitation from the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See to celebrate the Fourth of July with a special dinner, a significant amount of effort went into making the occasion impeccable and memorable.

The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See posted a video to social media this week offering a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations that took place ahead of the July 4 occasion, saying dedicated teamwork was required.

“Hosting a July 4th dinner for the Holy Father doesn't happen by accident,” the embassy stated. “Behind every perfectly set table, every carefully prepared dish, and every seamless moment of the evening stood a dedicated team at Villa Richardson who spent weeks planning, preparing, and perfecting every detail. A huge thanks to our wonderful team!”

U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch and his family welcomed Pope Leo the afternoon of July 4 at the ambassador’s residence in Rome, as Zeale News reported that day with exclusive comments from Burch.

>> Exclusive | Pope Leo XIV marks Fourth of July with historic visit to US ambassador’s residence in Rome <<

President Herzog Welcomes Somaliland President Abdullahi in Jerusalem

Pope Leo XIV and I agree: Our country and world need healing

Challenges and responsibility were on my mind as I sat with the pope, a fellow son of Chicago whose moral leadership comes at a critical moment.

By Mayor Brandon Johnson

Jun 6, 2026, 7:00am EDT

Pope Leo XIV shakes the hand of Mayor Brandon Johnson during their meeting late last month.
Provided


The same week I met Pope Leo XIV, I watched my eldest son graduate.

Like any parent, I felt immense pride seeing him step into adulthood. But I also found myself thinking about the wounded country and world he and his peers are inheriting.

Here in America, families are struggling with rising costs. Our immigrant neighbors, co-workers, classmates and friends are living with fear and uncertainty. Essential federal programs have been cut, while healthcare and food assistance are being stripped from the most vulnerable.

Overseas, wars continue to claim the lives of the innocent and devastate the remaining survivors.

As a father, those realities weigh on me. As a mayor, they remind me why I do this work.

Commentary

What I want for my family is what I want for every family in Chicago: a country and world that are safer, more just and full of opportunity.

These challenges and our collective responsibility were at the front of my mind as I sat down with Pope Leo XIV, a fellow son of Chicago, whose moral leadership comes at a critical moment.

The pope and I spoke about the suffering caused by war, the need for peace in Gaza and Iran and the responsibility we share to elevate the voices of those living through hardship, both in Chicago and across the globe.

When touching on the harsh realities of our country as it approaches its 250th birthday, we discussed the enduring consequences of slavery and the unfinished work confronting that history. He understands the harms of slavery didn’t end with emancipation and that these wounds continue to shape disparities in wealth, health, housing and economic mobility.

Historic Moment: Pope Leo Lands in Spain, Welcomed by King Felipe and Queen Letizia in Madrid | AK1G

 

Mayor Johnson addresses media ahead of meeting with Pope Leo | Full Availability

 

 

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The Spanish prime minister visits Leo XIV on the same day police raid his party headquarters

Reflecting on meeting with Leo,...

Reflecting on meeting with Leo, Rubio emphasizes distinction between role of Church and nation state

“There are conflicts and issues in the world that cannot be solved diplomatically, no matter how hard you try,” Rubio said.



U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press at the U.S. Embassy in Rome on May 8, 2026. | Credit: Stefano RELLANDINI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

By Amira Abuzeid, Ken Oliver-Méndez
May 14, 2026 at 6:45 PM ET

In a May 13 interview on Fox News, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reflected on his May 7 meeting with Pope Leo XIV, emphasizing the different vantage points and distinct roles of the Church and a nation-state.

In the interview, Rubio acknowledged the Catholic Church’s longstanding position advocating for peace and the avoidance of war while drawing a clear distinction between the Church’s role and the duties and responsibilities of nation states.

While saying the U.S. also seeks peace, Rubio affirmed that the countryʼs position on war is “different,” because it is “a nation state.”

“For a nation state, which is different from a religious office, for a nation state there are threats to your security and to the well-being of your people that have to be addressed, ideally through diplomatic means, but there are conflicts and issues in the world that cannot be solved diplomatically, no matter how hard you try,” Rubio said, pointing to years of failed diplomacy with Iran and other past examples.

He said there have not been “any results” despite “over a decade of work done to try to diplomatically solve Iran’s desire and ambition to have a nuclear weapons program."

CIA head visits Cuba, Raul Castro faces indictment